If the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s that sometimes really good figures become victims due to a combination of bad decisions. Before we explain let us clarify that when we say good figures, we mean figures that are aesthetically pleasing action figures whether they’re intended for kids or collectors (or both). Between bad distribution, an overload of initial waves full of repacked figures from decades ago and a misaligned focus on who actually purchases Star Wars figures, 2012 brought the Star Wars action figure line to a screeching halt, literally. Figures that were due in the first quarter of the year didn’t see availability until the Thanksgiving holiday. Some stuff just never made it out. And the four figures from the final wave of the 2012 SW [TPM 3D] line so far have only been available in Europe without any remote confirmation that American collectors will ever see them. The shifts in trends and the diminished collector base have also influenced the toy line and it seems that Hasbro has been working against a very rough grain that is counterproductive at best. But light claims to be at the end of the tunnel Hasbro says. (Time will tell.) One figure that we feel you SHOULD care about missing out on (a little bit at least) is the all-new Battle Droid. Keeping in mind that this is definitely without doubt a kids’ toy, we can’t help but be rather impressed with the overall figure.

It’s unbelievably one of the best looking Battle Droids “released” by Hasbro to date. Even though its torso is ever so slightly enlarged to fit in the action feature(it’s subtly larger and not as bad as you might think), the rest of the figure’s sculpt and proportions are spot on and we couldn’t ask for better. The Battle Droid is very limited in articulation. This is a display piece, unless of course your kids are enjoying the action features of the figure. You’ll either have to take that or leave it. But aside from that and its minimal articulation, the all-new Battle Droid looks better and has better aesthetics than 2012’ TVC Battle Droid (VC78) figure. This might be hard to believe, but between the way the figure’s legs have been sculpted in a lightly widened stance coupled with its ability to hold a droid blaster believably, the Battle Droid has quickly become one of our most favorite action figures from the entire 2012 Movie Heroes lineup. We’d like to point out a surprising detail. You might initially think that Hasbro reused the ball-socket head from The Vintage CollectionBattle Droid (VC78) or the head from the “articulated” Battle Droid packed in with the Trade Federation MTT (Multi Trooper Transport) vehicle, but you’d be wrong. Hasbro actually spent the time to tweak it and we can confirm it’s a unique sculpt – you’ll have to compare it side by side to see the differences because they’re subtle.

As a result, Battle Droid is an all-new figure. Battle Droid comes with swivel articulation in the shoulders and hips. There sadly isn’t ball-socket articulation here which is a mild disappointment. The action feature here is very fun. By pressing a [non-obtrusive] button on the droids back, a pin pops up in the waist area and throws the Battle Droid’s body up and off the figure. It’s a shame that the upper body just “sits’ on top of the figure and is very loose, but it’s necessary for the action feature to works. However, if you look at this feature in a different light, you may enjoy that the Battle Droid has a “faux” waist joint on a figure with such little articulation. You can actually pose the Battle Droid in some impressive ways because of this. When the upper body is removed you can see the mechanics inside and it’s so cool to see this, even if it’s a Hasbro concept. The figure’s legs and lower waist can stand unassisted and can mimic the scene in the Theed hangar where we could see Battle Droid legs walking without its upper body attached. Right now, this figure has no plans of being rereleased. Anything is possible, but an Episode II (red) Battle Droid utilizing this sculpt is part of the 2013 Movie Heroes lineup. But we hope Hasbro finds a way to get out this tan version. It’s more fun than you realize and we’re thrilled to own it.